Gov’t spent MOP580m in post-typhoon relief

Over the past year, the Macao Foundation (FM) has approved MOP580 million in subsidies to assist residents in dealing with damage and losses caused by Typhoon Hato.
A special subsidy scheme covering several areas was established to provide assistance to residents and help them ride out difficulties resulting from the severe storm which struck Macau during August last year, causing10 deaths and major economic loss.

The FM received a total of 6,368 subsidy requests relating to a program to subsidize restoration of storm-damaged homes. Of those applications, the foundation has approved 5,665, involving an aggregate of approximately MOP40.03 million.

The foundation invited nine associations from different professional sectors to carry out the assessment work and authorization tasks on a case-by-case basis in order to treat each of them promptly, fairly, and effectively, guaranteeing also that the subsidy amounts would reach the residents as soon as possible and that they would be used for the rightful and intended purpose.

The application deadline for medical treatment subsidies via the FM was October 31, 2017. The foundation received a total of 246 applications and approved 208, involving an aggregate of MOP680,000. According to a statement issued by the Government Information Bureau, it issued the money after verifying – with Conde S. Januário Hospital, Kiang Wu Hospital and University Hospital – the information supplied by applicants. All payments to successful applicants had been processed by December 2017.

In addition, in September 2017, the Macao Foundation had given an aggregate of MOP3 million patacas to be shared between the families of the 10 people who died during Typhoon Hato.

The government approved a total of MOP430 million in subsidies on electricity and water tariffs to eligible households that had experienced suspension either of electricity or water supply – or both – following the typhoon. The grants offered a 500-pataca discount on water bills to each of the 211,000 households that lost water supply during Typhoon Hato; and 1,500 patacas in subsidy to each of the 215,000 households affected by power supply loss. The subsidies have been issued to each household as of October 2017.

After Typhoon Hato, the Macao Foundation requested assistance from non-governmental organizations in relation to issuing subsidies to vulnerable families. The subsidies involved amounted to MOP105 million.